Abstract
Herein, we report a new class of biosourced nanofiltration membranes based on chemically recyclable aliphatic polyesters (P(4,5-T6GBL)) and the use of green solvents. Given their chemical recyclability and potential biodegradability, these polyester membranes were designed to have a sustainable lifecycle. The effect of membrane thickness and solvent/non-solvent diffusivity on membrane morphology and organic solvent nanofiltration were investigated. Long-term membrane stability was tested in a continuous crow-flow filtration rig over a week, which exhibited stable methanol permeance at 8.6 ± 0.1 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. The rejection profiles of the pharmaceuticals oleuropein (540 g mol−1) and roxithromycin (837 g mol−1) were also found to be stable at 87% and 100%, respectively.
Highlights
Membrane technology offers greater energy-efficient separation compared to conventional thermal processes
Organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) offers a sustainable solution for the purification and concentration of high-value fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals compared to conventional thermalbased separation technologies (Goh et al, 2021)
4,5-T6GBL, as the building block of a P(4,5-T6GBL) polymer, was synthesized from diethyl malonate and cyclohexene oxide (Scheme S1), chemicals that can be sourced from biomass (Jagatić Korenika et al, 2020; Winkler et al, 2014 )
Summary
Membrane technology offers greater energy-efficient separation compared to conventional thermal processes. All aspects, including the source of raw materials, polymer synthesis, material fabrication, solvent selection, and end-oflife membrane recyclability, must be considered. Used solvents in membrane fabrication, such as N-methylpyrrolidone, N,Ndimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, are known to be toxic, harmful, and derived from non-renewable resources. The replacement of these solvents with greener alternatives promotes environmental conservation and good health, which are in line with the United Nations. OSN offers a sustainable solution for the purification and concentration of high-value fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals compared to conventional thermalbased separation technologies (Goh et al, 2021). 4,5-T6GBL, as the building block (monomer) of a P(4,5-T6GBL) polymer, was synthesized from diethyl malonate and cyclohexene oxide (Scheme S1), chemicals that can be sourced from biomass (Jagatić Korenika et al, 2020; Winkler et al, 2014 )
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